Who Knew?
by Myra109
Summary: Who knew an asthma attack could bring two brothers closer together? When Regulus has an asthma attack and can't speak to give instructions to his friends, Sirius is the only one that has any idea how to help him.


_Hello! I know Regulus doesn't have asthma (at least, Rowling doesn't mention it), but I just wanted a sweet one shot to show the brotherly bond between Sirius and Regulus._

 _Also, there is a little bit of French in this chapter. I used Goggle translate, so forgive me if it's wrong, and the translations are in bold._

 ** _Disclaimer: I own nothing_**

* * *

The Marauders were in trouble, but hey, what else is new?

"You four..." McGonagall trailed off, too angry to even speak properly. "Detention. Two months. And an apology letter to Mr. Snape."

"Yes, ma'am," James, Remus, and Peter stated, sheepishly.

"Yes, Minnie," Sirius, ever the cheeky one, said.

"Mr. Black, you are treading on very thin i-"

"Sirius!"

All five of them spun around to see Narcissa racing towards, a panicked expression plastered across her face.

" _Sirius_ , _nous étions dans la salle commune lorsque Regulus a commencé à avoir l'air vraiment effrayé. Je lui ai demandé ce qui ne va pas_ -" Narcissa fired off in one breath as she skidded to a halt.

 **(We were in the common room when Regulus started looking really scared. I asked him what was wrong)**

Seeing McGonagall's confused expression, James explained, "Sirius's family is fluent in French. When they get really worked up, they slip into it and don't even realize it."

McGonagall, having had bilingual students do this many times, nodded.

" _Narcissa_ , _ralentissez. Je ne peux pas vous comprendre_ ," Sirius instructed.

 **(Slow down. I can't understand you)**

Narcissa took a deep breath before continuing.

 _"Regulus ne peut pas respirer. Il devient bleu..._ "

 **(Regulus can't breathe. He's turning blue)**

The Marauders and McGonagall watched as Sirius's eyes widened in panic before he was off like shot, sprinting down the hall, around the corner, and out of sight, his cousin on his heels.

"What was that about?" Peter asked.

The others shook their heads in bewilderment.

* * *

Sirius barely even registered his surroundings; he smacked into a few people, shoved a first year to the ground, and ran into a few suits of armor. By the time he reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room, he had countless bruises, had three wands (only one of which was his own), and for some reason, he had a teddy bear in his hands.

Sirius shook his head and dropped the toy before turning to Narcissa.

"Pureblood," she gasped, and the wall split apart, revealing the common room.

Sirius couldn't help but roll his eyes. Of course that'd be the password.

He resisted the urge to smack himself. Priorities, Sirius. You can criticize the Slytherins later.

Sirius leaped through the entrance and immediately caught sight of the crowd in the center of the room. Five people standing around something on the floor, and two others leaning over it.

"Move," he growled.

No one needed to be told twice. Even the seventh years shivered at Sirius's harsh voice and leapt out of his way.

Regulus, his baby brother (it'd been too long since he acknowledged that), was lying on his back, staring at the ceiling in panic. His pale face was a horrifying shade of blue, and wheezes and gasps escaped his mouth, followed by coughing fits.

"Cissa, go up to Regulus's dorm and in his trunk, he should have his inhaler," Sirius ordered.

Narcissa nodded and dashed for the stairs as Sirius knelt beside Regulus.

"Hey, Reg," Sirius whispered.

"Sir... i," Regulus choked out.

"Shh. You have to calm down, Reggie; I know it's hard, but panicking only makes it worse."

"M' dyin'," Regulus slurred.

"You're not dying, Reggie. Cissa will be back any second."

Regulus managed a tiny nod.

Sirius looked up, and his eyes zeroed in on a scrawny third year.

"You," he said, nodding at him. "Are you fast?"

He nodded, staring at Regulus in horror.

"Get Madam Pomphry."

The boy sprinted from the common room.

Narcissa skidded to stand beside Sirius and handed the boy a white inhaler, which Sirius placed in Regulus's mouth.

The blue slowly seeped out of his brother's skin and lips, and Regulus inhaled, deeply.

"Thank you," he murmured.

"Shh, Madam Pomphry will be here any minute. Just rest for now, okay?"

Regulus nodded before the emotional stress took a tole on him, and he drifted off to sleep in Sirius's arms.

The entrance opened, and Madam Pomphry rushed over to sit beside Regulus.

"It's okay. We gave him his inhaler; he's just sleeping," Sirius assured her. "Those asthma attacks can exhaust you."

Madam Pomphry frowned. "Do you have asthma?"

"No, but I've had to help Regulus manage his for years. Our parents weren't exactly good at watching out for us. Regulus relied on me and the house elves to make sure he didn't die from a severe asthma attack," Sirius responded.

"I'm going to take him to the Infirmary to check him over," she told him, taking out her wand.

"I've got him," Sirius told her before she could cast the levitating spell.

Sirius put an arm behind Regulus's shoulders and the other under his knees before lifting him up as though Regulus weighed no more than air.

Madam Pomphry looked shocked for a moment before smiling.

Several people believed that the Black brothers hated each other, but that was just a front. They loved each other, and even if no one believed her, Madam Pomphry was glad she got to witness their brotherly bond just once.

* * *

When Regulus came to, all he saw was white. For a moment, Regulus thought he was going to pass out, but then, the world around him slowly came into focus.

He was in the Hospital Wing; he'd been here so many times for Quidditch injuries, he'd almost gotten used to waking up here.

The light above him blinded him, and the tiled ceiling looked a little blurry, but things that were close by had come into focus. Like the nightshade or the sheets or the gray eyes only inches from his own...

Regulus cried out in shock and sat up, head butting the person.

Sirius stumbled back, clutching his forehead, and Regulus groaned, rubbing his own. That would leave a bruise; he could only image that conversation.

 _"Hey, Regulus, where'd you get that bruise?"_

 _"I sat up too fast and headbutted my idiotic brother."_

Talk about embarrassing.

"Geesh, Reg, you've got a hard head," Sirius mumbled.

"Dude, why were you so close to me? And why am I in the hospital wing?" Regulus demanded, trying to sit up, but the world spun and he froze, commanding the walls to stop turning.

"Woah, lay back down, little brother," Sirius laughed, pushing Regulus's shoulders back to the bed. "That asthma attack really did a number on you."

Asthma attack? Oh... right.

Regulus's asthma had been acting up, and by the time he realized it was becoming a full blown attack, it was too late. He couldn't breathe or talk or stand.

He'd only managed to gasp one word, taken from his oxygen deprived mind:

 _"Sirius."_

"Right," Regulus said. "Thanks for that."

Sirius smiled. "You're my little bro. It's my job to watch out for you. Now, why didn't you have your inhaler?"

"I was just heading downstairs to the common room to grab my book, which I'd left down there, so I didn't see the point in taking it with me. Avery started talking to me, and the attack came out of nowhere. I had a little trouble breathing, but I thought my asthma was just acting up. I haven't had an attack since summer because it's triggered by tobacco smoke."

Sirius nodded.

Their mother smoked, and she hadn't stopped after they found out it triggered Regulus's asthma. Regulus stayed out of the house as much as possible, and he stayed in his room when he couldn't to avoid the areas of the house where Mother smoked.

Maybe some kid had been smoking in the dark corners of the Common Room, where no one could see them. Some kids did that in Gryffindor.

"Some idiot was probably smoking in the corner, where no one could see them," Sirius reasoned.

Regulus nodded. "Evan. He smokes and hates going all the way to the Astronomy Tower. I usually avoid him because of that, but maybe I just didn't notice him today."

Sirius sat on the bed and laid down beside Regulus.

"What are you doing?" Regulus asked. "Need I remind you, we're brothers, so _this_ ," he gestured between the two of them, "cannot happen."

"Says the one that used to crawl into my bed during thunderstorms or after nightmares."

"And then, we'd get in trouble with Mother and Father."

"They're not here. Who's gonna bust us now? Poppy? I think she'd actually think it was kind of sweet."

"Poppy? You're on a first name basis with the nurse?"

"And Professor McGonagall."

"Merlin, how are you still alive?" Regulus asked.

"If I can survive Mother and Father, I can survive Minnie."

"Uh-huh," Regulus said, not believing it for a second.

"You have so little faith in me."

"I really do."

The brothers laughed, hysterically.

"Sirius," Regulus said once they'd calmed down, "thanks."

Sirius smiled. "Don't thank me. I'll always be here when you need me, little brother."

Who knew an asthma attack could bring two brothers closer together?

* * *

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